Duplicating machine



March 28, 1944.A o, E, ROSEN l 2,345,218

l l vDUPLICMING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1940 in FG-Zf Flegm man. @if

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:a 52 as INVENTOR. l,

oscAR ROSEN ATTORNEYS Patented Mar'. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES MTENTl OFFICE.-

DUPLICTING MACHINE Oscar E. Rosen, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 8, 1940, Serial No. 328,436

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to duplicating machines and more specically to such machines constructed and arranged for the edge cutting of plates-to reproducethe 'form of a template.

Among the objects of the invention is the 'means' by which a cutting operation may be continued' automatically entirely around av work piece to reproduce the complete contourv of a template or other pattern.

Another object is means by which a cutter may be caused to travel in one general direction along one side of a work piece while reproducing one side of a. pattern and then automatically re verse the general direction and reproduce the other side of the pattern.

Another object is means by which theY cutter, after reproducing one side of a pattern, is caused to leave the Work and, after the said reversal'of direction, resumes the cutting where it was discontinued and reproduces the other side ofthe pattern.

Another object is a process of operating a duplicating machine to reproduce the entire contom-,of a pattern or template.

Other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figures 1 to 12 inclusive are diagrammatic viewsshowing a template and coacting parts and showing various positions of the tracer.

Figure 13 is a schematic wiring diagram indicating the means by which reversal' of the cutting action may be obtained.

Figure 14 is a conventional illustration indicating av work table and operating means therefor.

In the drawing, which is intended not toY show actual structure butl to be schematic only, Figure 14 represents the work supporting table of any suitable cutting machine, such as a millingma chine with a vertical spindle, and represents conventionally the driver means for moving the table in .two directions.

For example, the table A is movable in eitherv direction longitudinally by a motor M with direction reversing means at R, and is movable in either direction laterally by the unit U. The device indicated at Cis an automatic clutch, the purpose of which will appear later.

i Upon the table A will be secured a template T andawork` piece W in position to -be acted upon by a tracer ilnger Pand cutter B, respectively. With the table A being moved longitudinally by motor'M, the unit U is tracer controlled tocause the forward'v andbackward movement-"to thereby cause the cutter to reproduce the longitudinal prole ofthe template.

'Ihe unit U and its control is preferably of the typeof construction shown in the U. S: patentto Rosen, No, 2,138,208, issued November 29, 1938, on "Duplicating machine.

In addition, however, to the drive unit U, there isalso used an automatic tracer cont'rolled'clutcliY C between the drive motor M and the reversing unit R. This clutch is constructed and arranged to be actuated under control of the tracer to'slow down or stop the longitudinal drive when the tracer encounters a steepincline ineither-direc tion or an abrupt wall or hole. Such a clutch and tracer'combinationis shown in the ARosen application for U. S. patent Serial No. 245,710, led December 14, 1938, Control devices for duplicating machines. 5

In this application, the tracer described `con sists of a tracer body carrying at its lower endfa movable nger which, in its idle or uniniiuenced` position, is centered with respect to the body. At the other end of the body is the electrical contact mechanism so constructed that, when the linger is uninfluenced, the contacts are active-to control the machine movement toward the-finger and such movement continues until the pattern contacts the finger and moves the latter slightlyto a neutral position.

It Will be noted that any movement ofthe nger from its idle or uninluenced centeredy position produces the same effect on the-contacts', whether it be laterally from side contact orion# gitudinally from end contact, but', since in the present case the tracer is mounted perpendicular to the plane of the template, only the'lateral movement is important. Y 'f' With the arrangement above indicated, it is possible to reproduce rst one side of the template and, then, after returning the table to the starting position, to reproduce the yother side; This method of operation is objectionable for several reasons not the least of which are the time element and the need for attention by the opierator.

In the present invention, once the operation is started, both sides and the ends ofthe templateV may be reproduced and the machine stopped',.a'll automatically. i

The accomplishment of this result may be had by the means indicated in Figs. 1 to 13 inclu'- sive.

endV ofthe template T'is arranged a small stanti As indicated in these gures, at therst'arting,

template T, and so that the tracer as it leaves the plate is travelling tangent to the curve of the template.

At the other end of the template is pivoted a similar starting plate but oppositely arranged', this also being pressed lightly against the template by a light spring 26.

At this end also and v.

spaced a short distance to one side of the teni-f plate is pivoted a second small plate 3l! held against a stop 3l This plate is of less width than curved end of plate 25 and has that sideY` which is toward the template in line with the end of the latter.l Y

In applying the invention to a conventional cutting machine provided with automatic reversing means, the trip mechanism, whatever it may be, mechanical or electrical, is re-arranged to be actuated, when the table is moved beyond a predetermined point. Further, the reversing mechanism will be so arranged that, when the table reaches and actuates the mechanism,v it will, at the same time, reverse the circuits from the tracer to the drive unit controlled thereby.

Z Such reversing mechanism is indicated schematically in Fig.. 13, and is indicated as operated by means of a solenoid 40 energized through the action of a switch 4I in turn actuated by the moving table as indicated above, current being supplied to the tracer 50 and solenoid 40 through the supply lead 39.

WhenA the solenoid 40 is energized, it pulls down the switch rod 42 carrying the switch blades 43, 44, 45, and 46 and also the blade 41.

-Of these the blade 41 is moved from contacts 41h to 41a, these representing circuits controlling the operation of the reverse mechanism R to cause the longitudinal movement of the table to be reversed, and at the same time, the blades 43 and 44 are moved to the contacts 43a and 44a respectively, while the blades 45 and 46 are moved away from`contacts Y45a and 46a.

This action, it will be noted, reverses the cirby means of a light spring 32.V

'the plate`25' and is so located that its end is opposite the y i I v if.,

Figures 1 to 12 illustrate the action or the present invention in the reproduction of a template, for example, one shaped as shown at T.

In these iigures the tracer nger is indicated by the small circle P and, while the cutter is not shown, it will be understood that this iollows a path which is the duplicate of the path of the tracer.

In these figures, with the machine at rest, the tracer ringer will be, for example, at the location Pa (Fig. 5), since provision'maybe made for stopping the machine when the tracer has returned to this point after once traveling over 4its path.

-: the plate 20, the clutch C during this movement being actuated to disconnect the motor M from its drive.

f VAs soon, however, as the finger P strikes plate 20, the clutch C connects the motor M to its drive mechanism and the table A moves toward the left as indicated by thearrowMa. AAt the same time, however, the tracer through the drive unit U and clutch C causes the movement of the table A upward and the tracer follows the curve 23 until the finger reaches the .tem-plate which it follows, as indicated in Fig. 2..- l u Y After passing around the other endof the template the linger P passes yalong the upper side as in Fig. 3 and over the rounded end. Thelongi;

cuits from the tracer '50 to the solenoids 5i and 52. As thev circuits are indicated in the figure, the lead ais connected through contacts 46a, and blade `46 to solenoid 5I and lead 50h is connected through contacts 45a and blade 45 to solenoid 52. When, however, the blades are moved down, the leads 50a and 50h become connected to solenoids 52 and 5| respectively. y.

`Since the tracer 50, through the solenoids 5I and 52, controls the backward and forward movement of the table A, the effect of the tracer upon this movement will thus be reversed.

The two solenoids 5I and Y52 represent the solenoids ofv the valve mechanism shown `and described in the Patent No. 2,138,208, abovementioned. These solenoids, as described in said patent, are,alternately put in circuit by the tracer, and while one of them causes relative movement of the work and cutter forwardfr the other causes a movement backward with reference tothe front'of the machine.

The tracer control of the clutch C is however not aected and the latter will be actuated to control the longitudinal movement of table A inthe same manner as before reversal.V l

tudina1 movement of the template comes grad. ually to a rstop as the nger reaches .the position of Fig. 4, moving the plate 20 out of its .way and, since the longitudinal movement has stopped, the tracer P continuesl directly downward until it strikes the stop 60. lThe longitu-u dinal movement is again set up and Y`the tracer travels along to position Pa. (See Fig. 5,.)v y, Automatic means may be provided to stop the machine at this point as in the conventional ma chine or it may be stopped by the operator.

The operation at the other end of the template is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 12. I

In Fig. 6 the iinger P is seen traveling rela-l tively toward the right, and, as it passes over; the end of the template, it moves out of its way the plate 25 as in Fig. 7. It then moves directly upward, as the longitudinal movement of the template has completely ceased, until it strikes the plate .30 as in Fig. 8, and causes the longitudinal movement to be resumed. y

With the resumption of the longitudinal move? ment, the plate 30 is swung as in Fig. 9 until, iinally, the tracer .finger moves from the corner of the plate, allowing the latter to swing-back against the stop l3l, whereupon the longitudinal movement stops and the tracer immediately starts upward again. (See Fig. 10.)

At a suitable point in this last upward Ifree' movement ofthe tracer, or rather, the downward' movement of the table, the reverse means is actuated with the result that the table'i'rnmed'i'-Y ately stops and starts up again. This'being the case, the tracer travels directly down until it strikes the curved side of plate 25 as in' Fig. Vl2

and in so doing setsV the table in motion'toward the right. A A A i, l,

The tracer travel is then, of course, along this curved edge to the template and along the. upper. i

side thereof to the final stopping,positionatPa. I claim: f l. A duplicating machine for duplicatingN the entire contour oi a ysuitable templatefconsistiiig.

each other and backward and forward in each,`

means for mounting upon said work support a template and a workpiece in fixed relation, a tracer, means for mounting said tracer on said cutter head in the same relation tosaid cutter as said template bears to said workpiece, means under control of said tracer for causing said movement forward and backward in one direction, means for causing movement forward in the other direction, speed controlling means for said latter movement under control of said tracer, and means for reversing the direction of said latter movement and at the same time reversing the effect of said tracer control on said first movement.

2. In a tracer controlled duplicating cutting machine in which the feed of thev workpiece toward and from the cutter is tracer controlled while theU workpiece is being moved past the cutter, means for reversing the latter movement and simultaneously reversing the tracer controlling effect.

3. In a tracer controlled duplicating cutting machine in which the feed of the workpiece toward and from the cutter is tracer-controlled while the workpiece is being moved past the cutter, means for reversing the latter movement and simultaneously reversing the tracer controlling eiect, said means being arranged to be operable after said movement has carried the tracer out of contact with the pattern.

4. In a tracer controlledlduplicating machine, a work table movable forward and backward in two directions at right angles to each other, means under control of said tracer for moving said table forward and backward in one of said directions, other means for moving said table in the other direction and means for reversing the latter moving means and for simultaneously reversing the action of said tracer upon the forward and backward movement.

5. In a tracer controlled duplicating cutting machine wherein the action of a pattern upon a tracer controls the action of the cutter upon a workpiece, means for bringing the tracer and pattern together and guide means for directing such movement.

6. In a tracer controlled duplicating cutting machine wherein the tracer controls the movement of the cutter backward and forward in one line of movement, means for reversing the controlling actionofsaid tracer.

7. In a cutting machine having means for reversing the longitudinal movement thereof, means for producing lateral movement thereof during such longitudinal movement and means for ac tuating said reversing means and operable by such lateral movement when the latter reaches a predetermined maximum.

8. In a tracer controlled duplicating cutting machine, in which the action of a pattern on the tracer controls the movement of the workpiece relative to the cuter, similar guide plates mounted in reverse position at each extremity of the pattern for directing the approach of said tracer to said pattern whereby the tracer is directed toward one side of said pattern at one extremity and toward the other side of said pattern at the other extremity, and means for reversing part of the controlling action of the tracer after it has reached one extremity of the pattern.

OSCAR E. ROSEN. 

